


Dream Baby

by zebraljb



Category: NSYNC
Genre: Babies, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-29
Updated: 2012-03-29
Packaged: 2017-11-02 17:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/371330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a baby is literally left on JC's doorstep, he needs to take responsibility he never thought he wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dream Baby

DREAM BABY

JC was startled awake by his doorbell shortly after midnight. He blinked at Jay Leno for a minute, unsure if he’d really heard the doorbell or if something else had awakened him. When the doorbell rang again, he had his answer. He slowly pulled himself off the sofa, yawned and stretched, then padded to the door in his bare feet. He looked through the peephole and didn’t see anyone. After his celebrity status had dimmed over the past few years, he had grown less cautious, but one never knew. He paused a moment, then cautiously opened the door. No one was there, and he was about to close the door, when something on the ground caught his eye.

“Fuck me,” he whispered, then put a hand over his mouth. There, in a large basket on the ground, was a baby. On his doorstep. Wrapped in a blanket. In a basket. Asleep. JC looked around and didn’t see anyone. No one was running through his yard. No car was zipping away down the street. He looked down at the baby again, as if he was waiting for the child to explain what was going on, but the baby continued to peacefully snore. The basket was large, and the baby was surrounded by blankets and rolled up clothing. Diapers padded every corner of the basket, and JC noticed two round containers with lids, along with four bottles. He carefully hefted the basket up into his arms and carried it in the house. The night was cool, and while he didn’t know much about babies, he knew they probably shouldn’t be outside in the middle of the night.

JC picked up the remote and turned off the TV, then turned on a lamp. The baby made a face, but didn’t awaken. JC carefully pawed around in the basket, not wanting to disturb the baby, but needing to find some sort of clue as to what was going on. The two containers were baby formula, he realized, and they were sitting on top of a paperback book. “What to Expect in Baby’s First Year,” he read in a whisper, and he saw a piece of paper sticking out of the middle of the book. 

_Mr. Chasez – I know you will take good care of David. He is almost nine months old. He needs someone who can love and support and raise him in the way he deserves. Thank you._

“That’s it?” JC gasped. “REALLY?” The baby snorted and its eyes fluttered open. Bright blue eyes stared at JC blankly for a moment, and then he started to wail. “Oh, no, no…don’t cry. Shhh. I’m sorry.” JC just watched the baby for a moment, then carefully unwrapped the blankets and picked him up. He awkwardly juggled him for a moment, then the baby tucked himself against JC’s shoulder, snuffling into his neck. JC patted the baby, who hiccupped a few times, let out one more indignant whine, then settled against JC. “Okay. So. Um. Yeah. David,” JC whispered quietly. “Let’s find you a bed, okay?” JC looked down at the basket, kicking at it in disgust. “That’s NOT a bed.”

He slowly walked upstairs, unconsciously rocking baby David a bit. “Um, here. Just sleep here for a bit, until I find you a bed.” He carefully laid the baby down in the middle of his own large bed. The baby wriggled and made a face, but didn’t wake up. JC flipped his comforter over the baby, making sure to keep the blanket from the child’s face, then looked around. “Well, I don’t have a crib, and we can’t put you in a big bed. For all I know, you crawl in your sleep.” JC looked at his chest of drawers and sighed. “Well, they do it in books and Lifetime movies,” JC said to the sleeping baby. He pulled out a drawer and tossed the clothes to the floor. He found a blanket and folded it a few times until it lined the drawer in a soft, thick pile, then tucked it under the drawer so it couldn’t come undone. The baby seemed safe enough on the bed, so he raced downstairs, grabbed the book, and raced back up. David hadn’t moved. JC quickly flipped to the pages regarding bedding and cribs, scanned the chapter to make sure he wasn’t doing anything completely wrong, then gently picked the baby up and settled him in his makeshift crib. He was a perfect fit, and JC sighed with relief. He picked the drawer up, baby and all, and sat it on the floor by his bed, then went back downstairs. He shut everything off and grabbed his cell, shooting a few texts off before climbing the stairs.

Sleep didn’t come easily. He kept rolling onto his side and looking at the floor. He couldn’t see the baby in the dark, but he could hear his gentle snores. Every once in a while, the baby would let out a very musical sigh, which made JC smile in spite of himself. Finally, an hour later, he fell asleep.

 

The next time JC woke up, it was to the sounds of babbling and cooing. He rolled over, opened his eyes, and met the blue gaze of baby David. The baby had wriggled out of his blankets, and was playing with his feet. “Hello there,” JC said, yawning and stretching. “Um…I guess you’re ready to get up? And you probably need to eat, and…” JC shuddered. “I bet your diaper needs changed. Any chance you can tell me how to do it?” The baby giggled up at him. “Guess not.” 

JC used his own bathroom, washed his face and hands, and returned the bedroom, feeling a bit more awake. He looked in the book, but there were no instructions as to how to change a diaper. He picked the baby up and laid him on the bed. David gurgled up at him, flailing his arms a bit and gurgling. JC unsnapped the pajamas and looked at the diaper. It seemed simple enough, a disposable diaper held together by some sort of tape. He then remembered that the diapers, wipes and other outfits were downstairs in the basket. He snapped the pajamas together and picked up the baby. David turned in his arms, trying to see everything at once. JC was thankful the baby was able to hold himself up and look around; he’d have been even more frightened with a younger baby. He swiped his cellphone from the nightstand and left the room.

JC went downstairs and emptied the basket with one hand, placing the baby back in it once it was emptied. The baby began to whimper. “Just hold on, let me see what we have here,” JC cooed, patting the baby’s chest. David cooed, grabbing JC’s hand and gnawing on a finger. “OW!” JC yelled, glaring at the baby. “Watch those teeth, man!” David whimpered again, and JC begrudgingly sacrificed his fingers to the cause. JC grabbed a diaper, the wipes, and a new outfit, and clumsily laid out one of the blankets. He knew his floor was clean, but no need to take a chance. He picked David up and put him on the blanket, opening the pajamas once more. He carefully worked the baby out of the pajamas, working slowly but managing not to hurt the baby in any way. He undid the diaper, thankful to see it was only wet with urine and nothing else. JC clumsily wiped the baby with probably far more wipes than were necessary, then wriggled the baby around until the diaper was in what looked like the right position. As he was ready to bring the diaper up to close it, David suddenly started peeing everywhere.

“STOP!” JC yelped, reflexively putting a hand over the stream. “Oh, God, euww.” JC looked around as if help would suddenly materialize. “Cat, that’s just sick.” He reached for a wipe and wiped off his hand, and then the baby’s chest and stomach. He closed the diaper, which, of course, was the one thing completely dry, and felt it. It seemed tight enough. He maneuvered the baby into the shirt and pants he’d chosen, then sat back. “Well. We survived THAT.” He put the baby back in the basket and carried it into the kitchen, along with one of the containers of formula, a bib and a bottle. He put the basket on the table and said, “Just cool your jets here, okay? I need tea, and then I need to figure out how to feed YOU.” JC put a mug of water and a teabag into the microwave and read the container of formula. While his tea steeped, he got the baby book and read about the right temperature for bottles. He measured out the right amount and used a measuring cup for the exact amount of water. He shook the bottle, forgetting to cover the hole in the nipple. JC smacked his lips together, trying to get the formula out of his mouth. “Man, that’s disgusting,” JC said to David, who chattered eagerly when he saw the bottle. JC quickly scanned the chapter on feeding one more time, then sat down at his kitchen table, baby in one arm and bottle in the other hand. David put his hands on the bottle but didn’t hold it, his eyes huge as they looked at JC. “Guess you don’t think it’s so disgusting, huh?” JC commented.

He checked his cellphone and saw a reply to one of his texts. He hit a speed dial setting and waited. “JC? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Joey. Aw, shit. I mean, crap. Hold on.” JC rearranged things until his cell was pinned between his face and his shoulder. “No. Wait.” He put the phone on speaker and set it on the table. “There. Now my hands are free. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“When you send the emergency code, you shouldn’t follow that with, “but it’s not really an emergency.” It’s sorta like the boy crying wolf, Jayce.”

JC laughed. “I know. Sorry. Man, you’re hungry!” JC said to David, who seemed, at least to him, to be inhaling the bottle.

“No, I’m not hungry. It’s still early.”

“Not you, Joey, sorry. David.”

“You have someone there and you’re calling ME?” Joey said. “That’s rude.”

“No, no one’s here. I mean, he is, but…oh, hold on. I forgot. It said to burp you.” JC carefully sat the baby up, holding him with a hand at his front and back. He gently patted the baby along the spine. 

“Wait. BURP him? What’s going on, JC?”

The baby let out a loud burp and JC laughed out loud. “Uncle Justin would be so proud of you,” he said to the baby, who smiled at him. “He smiled at me,” JC whispered.

“Joshua Scott Chasez…” Joey said, in the tone that meant he was NOT fooling around.

“Oh…I have a baby.”

“A baby WHAT?”

“A baby person, you jackass.” JC tilted David back down and gave him the bottle again. “I mean, you jerk. Looks like I’m going to need to start a swear jar or something.”

“A baby. As in a human baby?”

“Yes. His name is David and he’s nine months old.”

“And where did you get this baby, Jayce?” Joey asked, speaking slowly and carefully.

“It was in a basket on my doorstep?” JC said. “Look, Joey, I KNOW how it sounds. But I’m not making it up. It was on my doorstep last night. I brought it…I mean, him…in and made him a bed in a drawer, and today I changed his diaper and now I’m feeding him.”

“Huh.” 

“He came with instructions. I mean, a book.”

“Well, right there, that’s a miracle, because they DON’T come with instructions normally,” Joey chuckled.

“I need to know what to buy him. I don’t want to just run out and let someone talk me into buying the entire store or something.”

“Well, if you don’t want to buy a crib, you could just get a Pack and Play…like a playpen? And diapers, diapers and more diapers. Baby food, because he’s old enough. Wipes. Toys. Maybe a bouncy seat or a swing?”

“Okay. I can remember all that. No, wait. Text me all that, okay?”

“Okay.” Joey chuckled again. “A Baby Chasez. I love it.”

“Oh, no. I can’t go out shopping…doesn’t he need some sort of seat?” JC said suddenly.

“Yes, he does. That’s another thing you’ll need. You’re a celebrity, JC. Call someplace and get someone to shop for you.”

“But I like shopping,” JC said unhappily.

“Well, then, send someone to get you the carseat and deliver it, and THEN you can shop,” Joey said in an exasperated tone. “Though you’ve never shopped until you’ve done it with a baby.”

“Thanks, Joe,” JC said, good mood restored as he hung up.

 

The woman from the personal shopping business he’d contacted sighed and cooed over David as soon as JC had opened the door with the baby in his arms. “Oh, isn’t he precious!”

“Thank you,” JC said, blushing a bit. 

“If you’d like, I can help you unpack the box and put the seat in your car…unless you’d like me to hold the baby while you do it?” The woman said hopefully.

“Well…”

“Christina.”

“Well, Christina, I’m not very familiar with carseats,” JC confided. “Or babies.”

“I’m surprised you don’t already have a carseat,” Christina said, picking up the large box as JC led the way to his garage. 

“Well, David’s arrival was unexpected,” JC said truthfully. “I wasn’t fully prepared.”

He stood and watched as Christina installed the carseat in the larger of JC’s two vehicles. She explained the buckle system, and had him latch and unlatch the buckles until she was satisfied he understood it. “Now, you realize it will be a LOT more difficult with him squirming all around,” Christina said, giving the carrier one last firm shake to make sure everything was secure.

“We’ll be fine, won’t we?” JC said to David, who dribbled on JC’s shirt.

JC thanked Christina, making sure to give her a large tip, then headed upstairs to change and get ready for their shopping trip.

 

JC was practically exhausted by the time he pulled his car out of the garage. He hadn’t realized how much a baby required just to leave the house. After consulting the magic baby book yet again, he packed a small tote with a bottle (with formula already measured out), two extra outfits, wipes, a handful of diapers, a bib and the book itself. JC found a small stuffed animal someone had given him, and after removing the scary looking bow around its neck, he handed it to David to chew on in the car. 

He headed to the closest Babies R Us, parked, and took a deep breath. He’d traveled the world. He’d performed for hours at a time. He could take a baby into a store. He got out, walked around the car, and smiled as he realized David had dozed off during the drive. A baby after his own heart.

 

“Okay, you stay there,” JC whispered to David as he slumbered in his carrier. JC had managed, very clumsily, to unhook the carrier and get it into the house. David slept on, oblivious to everything. JC then unpacked the car, carrying in a bouncy seat, a Pack and Play, and numerous other bags and boxes. He set up the Pack and Play in the bedroom, finding the directions fairly easy to understand, thankfully, and brought David upstairs. He carefully unhooked him from the seat, patting him when he grunted and wriggled, then got him settled in his new bed. JC quickly plugged in the new baby monitor and tiptoed out of the room.

He was consulting the baby book about feeding and unpacking baby food in the kitchen when his phone rang. “Lance, hi!”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Listen…do you think food should be alphabetical or organized by type? Like all the fruits together, vegetables together, things like that?”

“Um, I’ve never really considered it, but I’d probably go with type,” Lance said slowly. “JC, are you high?”

“Absolutely not!” JC said, shocked. “I have responsibilities now, Lance.”

“Never stopped you before,” Lance reminded him. “Look, C, I love hearing from you, but you haven’t contacted me in weeks. What’s going on?”

“Well, I just wanted to tell you about the new addition. I have a baby.”

“A baby what?”

“Good God, a baby person,” JC said, exasperated. He started to open the high chair box. “Oh, how cute! I love it,” he sighed happily, pulling the cushion out. “Hold on, let me put this on speaker.” He put his cell on the table.

“A baby person. As in a baby? Where did you get a baby?” Lance gasped.

“On my doorstep.”

“Someone left you a baby? Said it’s yours?”

“Well, no,” JC said, grunting as he snapped the cushion onto the high chair. “They didn’t say it was mine, just that they wanted me to raise it.”

“JC, you can’t keep plants alive,” Lance said. “Who’s to say you won’t leave it on top of your car and, like, drive away?”

“He’s not a cup of coffee, Lance,” JC snapped. “And I only did that once. I’ve managed to give him bottles and change his diaper and I bought him stuff.”

“Babies aren’t toys.”

“Since when are YOU the baby expert?” JC asked. “I knew you wouldn’t be supportive, but, Jesus, Lance.”

“JC, I’m very supportive, no matter what. I even supported you when you wanted to take that class on becoming a dog whisperer, or whatever that was. I just know how absent-minded you are. I’m concerned about you.”

“You don’t think I can do this,” JC said. “Well, guess what, Lance? I CAN do it, and I’m GOING to do it. Good-bye.” JC hung up and went to organize the baby food jars, trying very hard not to wonder if Lance was right.

 

JC managed to get through the next few days with minimal drama, though he lived in constant fear of doing something wrong. David quickly learned to recognize his voice, and would gurgle and smile when JC came to get him out of bed each morning. JC beamed when David hated green beans and loved sweet potatoes, just like him. When JC sang to him, David seemed to harmonize with him. David didn’t like baths, and they had a terrible argument each time he tried to wash him, but for the most part, they got along. JC forgot about everything else, ignoring calls and canceling appointments. There were a few tantrums, when JC didn’t realize David was hungry or needed changing, but otherwise, he began to relax. Maybe this wasn’t so hard. Maybe he could handle it. JC started painting again, spending hours in front of a canvas with David in his bouncy seat nearby. He hadn’t realized he needed this down time so much.

JC was shocked to see Lance on his doorstep a few weeks later. “Um, hi,” JC said, letting Lance in. “How are you?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call, but I needed to talk to you. I hear you’ve basically disappeared from life,” Lance said, looking at the baby toys spread all over the living room floor.

“I have not disappeared. I’ve been busy,” JC protested. “Babies are a lot of work.”

“Yes, about this baby.” Lance looked around. “I’d like to see him.”

“No,” JC said. “He’s upstairs napping, and he’s hell on wheels if his nap is disturbed.”

“Who does THAT sound like?” Lance asked. “I just…want to see him for myself.”

“You don’t believe me?” JC asked incredulously. “Look at all of this. Go look in the kitchen. Would I spend all this money on an imaginary baby?”

“You just…you’ve accepted it all far too quickly,” Lance said suspiciously. “You fear change.”

“I do NOT,” JC said in annoyance. “I just like routine.”

“Look, JC,” Lance said, obviously trying to keep calm. “You’re one of the kindest, most generous people I know. You’re very sensitive. I’m sure you’d make a great parent. However, I also know that you live for partying and hanging with other partying people. You like sex. I’m sure there’s a whole drawer of toys in your room that I’d be afraid of. I just…this whole “JC with a baby” thing is…” Lance waved his hands around, at a loss for words.

“I wouldn’t expect YOU to understand, Lance,” JC snapped. “Your dogs are the only thing you’ve shown interest in for more than a few months. Permanent relationships mean nothing to you.”

“Hey!” 

“And as for partying and sex toys…don’t you think maybe I’ve grown up a bit? And whatever is in my drawer will be locked and sealed once he starts crawling around.”

“Whatever.” Lance shook his head. “This makes no sense.”

“Either does this conversation!” JC almost yelled, then remembered the sleeping baby.

“Whatever,” Lance repeated, storming out of the house.

Later that evening, as JC lay on the sofa with David sleeping on his chest, he thought about what Lance had said. He hadn’t even noticed the loss of partying and being seen. His focus had been on David and only David…and he was okay with that. He picked up one of David’s tiny hands and kissed it. “You’re all the party I need, dude.”

 

“JC. JC. Wake up.” 

JC grabbed at his chest, scared awake when he realized the baby was no longer on it. “Chris? Jesus Christ…I thought David had fallen on the floor!” JC gasped, jumping to his feet.

“He’s fine.” Chris held the baby, kissing his head. “He’ll be just fine.”

“What are you doing here?” JC instinctively reached out for the baby, but Chris moved out of reach.

“I’m here to take David.”

“What?” JC burst out laughing. “Give him back.”

“No.” Chris wasn’t smiling. “He’s not yours, JC.”

“We don’t know WHOSE he is. And we’re fine here.”

“You can’t just take care of a baby, JC. There’s a lot of planning involved in bringing a baby into your home. You haven’t done anything.”

“I have, too! I have outlet covers, and cabinet locks. I got him a real bed. I read the book every night!” JC protested, starting to get a little frightened. “Chris, quit it. Give him back.”

“No, JC. He’s NOT yours.” 

JC looked into the baby’s face. David smiled, his eyes a dark brown. “What…what did you do to him?”

“Nothing. He’s not yours. This isn’t how you do it,” Chris said. “I’m taking him.”

“No!” JC yelled, but Chris ran out of reach, slamming the door behind him.

 

“NO!” JC screamed, sitting up and gasping for breath.

“Jesus, JC, what the fuck?” Chris mumbled. JC didn’t answer, trying to catch his breath. Chris rolled over, turned on the lamp, and sat up. “Are you okay?”

“Chris? I don’t…why did you…” JC blinked in the bright light, and realized he was in bed. With Chris. “David,” JC whispered.

“Um, who?” Chris asked, frowning. “And why are you crying?”

“I’m not…oh.” JC reached up to feel his wet cheeks. “I…oh my GOD…what a dream.”

“Who is David, JC?” Chris demanded.

“Our baby,” JC whispered.

“What the hell…okay.” Chris rubbed at his eyes. “Do you want to explain? I mean, you don’t have to…I cannot even imagine what being in one of YOUR dreams must be like. Even after all these years, I fear to think what it’s like in your head, not to mention your subconscious.”

“I need a drink of water.” JC got out of bed and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he sat cross-legged on the blankets. “You were right.”

“I was right?” Chris stared at him suspiciously.

“And I want to do it.”

“Do WHAT?”

“Have a baby. Adopt one, find a surrogate, whatever you want.”

“JC, six hours ago you were adamantly against this,” Chris pointed out. “You said you didn’t want a baby disrupting our lives. You said that we couldn’t go out and have fun. You said that nothing good would come of having a baby in the house.”

“I was wrong, I think,” JC said softly. “I had a baby, in my dream. David. Someone left him on the doorstep. He had bright blue eyes…well, they turned brown, later…and he was so cute. And he harmonized with me, and watched me paint and fell asleep on my chest…” JC wiped at a tear again. “Joey thought I could do it. Lance thought I was crazy, that I couldn’t be unselfish enough to take care of a baby. And then you showed up and took him away!”

“Um, sorry?” Chris said. “That’s some dream.”

“I know it wouldn’t be easy, but there are babies out there who really could use a good home. And we could give him one.”

“Him, huh?”

“Well, yes.”

“Babies don’t just appear on doorsteps, JC. And they’re a lot of work. Lots of stress…probably not a lot of sex, for the first few months.”

“But we could do it together. I thought you wanted to.”

“I do…or I never would have asked you about it.” Chris looked at him. “I brought this up weeks ago, JC. I don’t understand why you’re suddenly okay with it now.”

“I don’t know, either,” JC said, looking him in the eye. “Maybe I wasn’t ready. Now…I think I am.”

“I love you,” Chris said suddenly. “But can we talk about it when the sun’s actually up?”

“I love you, too,” JC said with a grin. He climbed back into bed and snuggled next to Chris. “David. David Kirkpatrick-Chasez.”

THE END


End file.
